Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks Talks AI Usage in D&D [UPDATED!]

Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks is convinced that the Dungeons & Dragons franchise will support some kind of AI usage in the future. Speaking today at a Goldman Sachs event, Cocks spoke about how AI products could soon support Dungeons & Dragons and other Hasbro brands. Asked about whether AI has the potential to "bend the cost curve" in terms of entertainment development or digital gaming, and how it's being used in the toy and content industries, Cocks said the following:

"Inside of development, we've already been using AI. It's mostly machine-learning-based AI or proprietary AI as opposed to a ChatGPT approach. We will deploy it significantly and liberally internally as both a knowledge worker aid and as a development aid. I'm probably more excited though about the playful elements of AI. If you look at a typical D&D player....I play with probably 30 or 40 people regularly. There's not a single person who doesn't use AI somehow for either campaign development or character development or story ideas. That's a clear signal that we need to be embracing it. We need to do it carefully, we need to do it responsibly, we need to make sure we pay creators for their work, and we need to make sure we're clear when something is AI-generated. But the themes around using AI to enable user-generated content, using AI to streamline new player introduction, using AI for emergent storytelling, I think you're going to see that not just our hardcore brands like D&D but also multiple of our brands."

Wizards of the Coast representatives has repeatedly said that Dungeons & Dragons is a game made by people for people, as multiple AI controversies has surrounded the brand and its parent company. Wizards updated its freelance contracts to explicitly prohibit use of AI and has pulled down AI-generated artwork that was submitted for Bigby's Presents: Glory of the Giants in 2023 after they learned it was made using AI tools.

A FAQ related to AI specifically notes that "Hasbro has a vast portfolio of 1900+ brands of which Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons are two – two very important, cherished brands. Each brand is going to approach its products differently. What is in the best interest of Trivial Pursuit is likely quite different than that of Magic: The Gathering or Dungeons & Dragons." This statement acknowledges that Hasbro may use AI for other brands, while also stating that Wizards is trying to keep AI-generated artwork away from the game. However, while Wizards seems to want to keep AI away from D&D and Magic, their parent company's CEO seems to think that AI and D&D aren't naturally opposed.

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UPDATE -- Greg Tito, who was WotC's communications director until recently, commented on BlueSky: "I'm deeply mistrustful of AI and don't want people using it anywhere near my D&D campaigns."

 

[jerryrice4949]

This isn’t surprising and not necessarily as bad as people will make it out to be. Every industry is experimenting with AI. I know in healthcare there is some hope that AI can reduce medical errors and improve outcomes. That may or may not happen but AI in and of itself isn’t necessarily bad. But of course depending on how it is used it may be negative. Though nuance is not the strong suit of these forums.

 

[Derulbaskul]

I'm excited about the potential for AI for my own games, and I'm OK with that being officially supported by the game companies. AI art works for me, especially if it means more art. At this stage in my life, I have enough rules, adventures, and supporting products. But good art that works for my games is always welcome.

 

[dave2008]

Internal use of AI: translation: "For example, we have tens of thousand of monsters over the editions, so the next monster book will be "Give me a monster book with 350 random monsters stylized and configured in a 2024 D&D format." rather than pay someone to do all of that."

I don't think that is what he is talking about, but it could lead that way at some point.

 

[dave2008]

This isn’t surprising and not necessarily as bad as people will make it out to be. Every industry is experimenting with AI. I know in healthcare there is some hope that AI can reduce medical errors and improve outcomes. That may or may not happen but AI in and of itself isn’t necessarily bad. But of course depending on how it is used it may be negative. Though nuance is not the strong suit of these forums.

Yes, I have a friend who is training AI to eliminate errors in MRI images. Definitely can and will help doctors if it works.

We are also doing experiments with AI in my field (architecture) to draft meeting notes, presentations, and inspiration images. But I stress the word "draft." Who knows the future, but it is far away from taking my job, right now it just makes my life easier (if I used the tools - it is mostly the young kids).

 

[doctorhook]

I weep at the phrase “Chris Cocks spoke about AI and D&D at a Goldman Sachs event”

I wish that my hobby never crossed the minds of the investor class, and I’m horrified that they’re excited to use AI to “bend the cost curve” of an imagination game.

 

[Charlaquin]

This isn’t surprising and not necessarily as bad as people will make it out to be. Every industry is experimenting with AI.

That every industry is adopting it doesn’t make it less bad. If anything, it makes it worse. Like, even setting aside arguments about ethical training it’s going to be ecologically disastrous.

 

[Argyle King]

I weep at the phrase “Chris Cocks spoke about AI and D&D at a Goldman Sachs event”

I wish that my hobby never crossed the minds of the investor class, and I’m horrified that they’re excited to use AI to “bend the cost curve” of an imagination game.

I think it's natural for some portion of the D&D audience to be uncomfortable with Cocks and Sachs working together.

According to AI:
"A cost curve is a graph that shows the relationship between the total quantity produced and the costs of production. Cost curves are important for firms to understand how costs change with output, which helps them maximize profits..."

 

[jerryrice4949]

That every industry is adopting it doesn’t make it less bad. If anything, it makes it worse. Like, even setting aside arguments about ethical training it’s going to be ecologically disastrous.

Like most new technologies AI may be beneficial, disastrous, both of those or neither (total bust). I don’t know. I mean there is a lot of alarmism. People had similar feelings about the internet- I guess the jury is still out on that too .

 

[Zardnaar]

It's like when rich politicians say people could afford a house if they'd cut back on Starbucks and avacado toast.

Your fault for not being born to rich parents!!!!!!!

 

[Oofta]

Like most new technologies AI may be beneficial, disastrous, both of those or neither (total bust). I don’t know. I mean there is a lot of alarmism. People had similar feelings about the internet- I guess the jury is still out on that too .

Internet? Pretty much a disas ... wait I need to go look at some kitten videos ...